Woods among the early pacesetters

Some remarkable players produced some remarkable scores on the opening day of The Masters - and Tiger Woods was amongst them with a four-under-par 68, his best start at Augusta by two shots.

Fifty-year-old Fred Couples, winner back in 1992 but having a new lease of life this season on switching to the seniors circuit, leads after achieving his best-ever round in the event.

A 66 takes Couples into day two a stroke ahead of England's Lee Westwood, Koreans KJ Choi and YE Yang and compatriots Phil Mickelson and 60-year-old Tom Watson, who a year after crashing out with an 83 improved 16 shots to revive memories of his incredible bid to win The Open last summer.

He matched his lowest-ever round at Augusta in a career that goes all the way back to 1970, while Westwood has never had a 67 before.

There was also a 69 from 52-year-old Sandy Lyle (he has not shot better than that since he won in 1988) and a 71 from 16-year-old Italian Matteo Manassero, the youngest player in Masters history.

But, inevitably, Woods was the one who carried the biggest crowd all day and he did not disappoint. For the first time in his Masters career he had two eagles in one round - and almost a third.

This, of course, was his first tournament since a sex scandal shocked the sporting world in November. He has been in hiding and in therapy since then, but come Sunday evening he might have donned a fifth green jacket and a 15th major.

Couples, an incredible 77 under par for 12 rounds as a Champions Tour rookie, had four birdies in six holes from the 12th to move to the head of things.

Watson's was the most stunning performance, though, and he said: "It's been a wonderful week already. My son proposed marriage when we played the practice round and his bride-to-be didn't know anything about it.

"Everybody was in on the scam and I think a big part of my success was having my son on the bag. He said 'Dad, show me. Show me you can still play this golf course.' You know what, I wanted to show him I can still play the golf course."